Saturday 21 of April 2012
Inamaluwa Thero incites religious hatred : ‘don’t make my blood boil’ says he; Dambulla mosque damaged
(Lanka-e-News-20.April.2012, 11.50PM) The Muslim mosque situated at the center of the Dambulla Town was subject to a petrol bomb attack this early morning.(20). Though there had been no harm done to lives of people the mosque has been slightly damaged.
A request had been made by Matale district UPFA M . P. Lakshman Perera to move the mosque from the place where it is now situated , and that another place will be found for it , which had been rejected by the mosque Board of administrators. It is after this , the attack had been launched.
The police had met the mosque administrators on the 19th and requested not to hold the Friday (today ) congregation. The mosque Board had refused to abide by this instruction as Friday Jummah prayers is very important for the Muslims. Later when the Muslims were holding their prayers , Ven. Inamaluwa Sumangala Thero with a crowd of about 500 persons have gone and conducted themselves in a most unruly manner hindering the Muslims in their prayer activities and damaging a part of the mosque. Consequently the Muslim devotees who were inside the mosque had been subjected to grave fears of potential attack. This violent group had damaged the goods within the mosque. The Police and army who were around had made no attempt to avert the attack.
Sumangala Thero had claimed that on the 300 acres land which was given to the Govt. , places of worship of other religions are being erected . He had warned ‘don’t make my blood boil’.
Meanwhile All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulema Organization had addressed a letter to the President Mahinda Rajapakse condemning the forcible entry of the group of intruders into the mosque premises , which can result in a breach of peace . The letter had therefore urged the President to take appropriate action to avert this potentially disastrous situation whose authors are the Sumangala Thero and the group.
Incidentally ,about four months ago another mosque in Anuradhapura was similarly attacked and destroyed.
Although inciting racial and religious hatred is barred by the SL constitution , and those found guilty are punishable under the penal code , so far these prohibitions have not been effective against the majority group.
Inamaluwa Thero incites religious hatred : ‘don’t make my blood boil’ says he; Dambulla mosque damaged
(Lanka-e-News-20.April.2012, 11.50PM) The Muslim mosque situated at the center of the Dambulla Town was subject to a petrol bomb attack this early morning.(20). Though there had been no harm done to lives of people the mosque has been slightly damaged.A request had been made by Matale district UPFA M . P. Lakshman Perera to move the mosque from the place where it is now situated , and that another place will be found for it , which had been rejected by the mosque Board of administrators. It is after this , the attack had been launched.
The police had met the mosque administrators on the 19th and requested not to hold the Friday (today ) congregation. The mosque Board had refused to abide by this instruction as Friday Jummah prayers is very important for the Muslims. Later when the Muslims were holding their prayers , Ven. Inamaluwa Sumangala Thero with a crowd of about 500 persons have gone and conducted themselves in a most unruly manner hindering the Muslims in their prayer activities and damaging a part of the mosque. Consequently the Muslim devotees who were inside the mosque had been subjected to grave fears of potential attack. This violent group had damaged the goods within the mosque. The Police and army who were around had made no attempt to avert the attack.
Sumangala Thero had claimed that on the 300 acres land which was given to the Govt. , places of worship of other religions are being erected . He had warned ‘don’t make my blood boil’.
Meanwhile All Ceylon Jamiyyathul Ulema Organization had addressed a letter to the President Mahinda Rajapakse condemning the forcible entry of the group of intruders into the mosque premises , which can result in a breach of peace . The letter had therefore urged the President to take appropriate action to avert this potentially disastrous situation whose authors are the Sumangala Thero and the group.
Incidentally ,about four months ago another mosque in Anuradhapura was similarly attacked and destroyed.
Although inciting racial and religious hatred is barred by the SL constitution , and those found guilty are punishable under the penal code , so far these prohibitions have not been effective against the majority group.
